Jeb Bush's new book stirs immigration flap

Former Gov. Jeb Bush stirred controversy on the immigration front and revived speculation that he will run for president in 2016 while releasing a provocative book on Tuesday that says illegal immigrants should be legalized but not given a special path to citizenship.

The publication – plus a series of appearances on TV talk shows and book promotions in Washington set for Wednesday – instantly thrust Bush into the midst of presidential politics and the intense debate over an immigration overhaul.

"It is absolutely vital to the integrity of our immigration system that actions have consequences -- in this case, that those who violated the law can remain but cannot obtain the cherished fruits of citizenship," Bush and co-author Clint Bolick say in their book, Immigration Wars: Forging an American Solution. "To do otherwise would signal once again that people who circumvent the system can still obtain the full benefits of American citizenship."

They say the current illegal population should be given permanent legal status after paying fines or providing community service, but not a direct route to citizenship.

That position puts Bush slightly to the right of U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., an admirer and protégé of the former governor and another bright presidential prospect for 2016. And Bush’s latest view seems to have evolved from his prior stance.

Bush has long been considered an immigrant-friendly Republican who speaks Spanish and successfully reached out to Hispanic voters while urging his party to take a generous attitude to foreign arrivals.

Back in June 2012, Bush called for "either a path to citizenship, which I would support -- and that does put me probably out of the mainstream of most conservatives -- or ... a path ... to residency of some kind."

But in the book, Bush stops well short of calling for a path to citizenship for 11 million undocumented residents, including about 825,000 in Florida. He does say they could still become citizens through the arduous process of returning to their homeland, applying for legal entry and waiting for years, with no guarantee they will make it back to the United States.

"A grant of citizenship is an undeserving reward for conduct that we cannot afford to encourage," they write. "However, illegal immigrants who wish to become citizens should have the choice of returning to their native countries and applying through normal immigration processes that now would be much more open than before."

It’s not clear why Bush changed his position, though some think it may be an indication he’s getting ready to run for president and wants to reassure conservatives. In interviews on Monday and Tuesday, the former governor said it was too early to talk about a possible candidacy – but was careful not to rule out a run.

Rubio and seven fellow senators have called for a path to citizenship for the undocumented, though with a lot of conditions attached. They would need to pay a fine and any taxes due, and a commission of border-state leaders would have to certify that the borders are secure before they can become legal immigrants on a five-year path to citizenship.

“People of good will can have different views,” Rubio told reporters on Capitol Hill when asked about Bush’s latest assertions. “After weighing both sides, I just kind of concluded, every country that’s done this -- that’s had millions of people living within it that are permanently barred from applying for citizenship -- it hasn’t worked out very well for them.”

Both Bush and Rubio plan to address the Conservative Political Action Conference next week in Washington, Rubio on Thursday afternoon and Bush on Friday evening. Will they take up the immigration debate?